Into the Woods
by hedixo01
Summary: One weekend while camping, Bella gets the chance to redeem herself after an embarrassing encounter with Edward three years previously. My submission to dirtycheekymonkey's weekly Squeeze My Lemon. Lemon Warning!


**A/N: This was my submission a while back to dirtycheekymonkey's weekly Squeeze My Lemon. If you've come here from In the Spring, I warn you now of the the explicit content. It's one big lemon! Enjoy if you're old enough!**

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer is the owner of these characters. I just like to make them play dirty. ; )**

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"No way, Alice," I state in what I thought was a firm tone. Alice had been begging me for two weeks to go camping at the lake with her boyfriend, his sister, and a couple of their friends.

It's not that I don't enjoy the outdoors, or that I don't like Jasper, her boyfriend. I'm just not particularly fond of the rest of that group.

"I don't think Edward's going to be there Bella," she says with a pleading look in her eyes.

"Never the less, Rosalie will be, and I refuse be stuck out in the middle of nowhere with her," I answer back ignoring her pitiful face. "Why do you care so much if I go anyway?"

"Because you're my best friend!" She exhales audibly before continuing. "I think you'll have fun. I know it might be hard for you to remember the concept of fun, so think of this as your reintroduction."

I try to think of some witty comeback, but I know she's right. I've always been a boring person. In high school I got straight A's and spent my free time with books instead of boys. Alice would drag me along to parties, but I always ended up in a bedroom reading. And reading is not code word for anything.

When Alice and I went off to college together, nothing but the venue changed. I made the Dean's List Freshman year. Alice continued to drag me to parties, but I always disappeared after a while with a book, until one night in our junior year.

Alice was more excited about this particular party because the fraternity that her most recent romantic interest belonged to was throwing it. We left our dorm while I clutched my bag containing North and South. I was on a big Industrial Revolution kick.

The party was already in full swing when we arrived. The walls were vibrating with music I didn't recognize, and there was already a smell of stale beer and vomit in the air. It took Alice a few minutes to find Jasper in the dim lighting, but we finally came upon him and some other seniors in the kitchen. Alice introduced me to Jasper, and he took his turn telling us the names of the various fraternity brothers around him. That's when I met Edward.

I was admiring his rear end while he was grabbing beers out of the fridge. He stood, turned around and handed Alice and myself each a bottle.

"We save the good stuff for our favorites," he said, and actually winked at us before pulling the caps off of the Heinekens he'd given us. When his hand wrapped around mine I thought I might fall over from the skin-to-skin contact. My mind was suddenly fantasizing about what other parts of our skin I'd like to touch together. I was so trapped in my head that I didn't even pay attention to Jasper when he took both of our jackets to some other room. I was so out of focus I also didn't realize my bag, and book, had gone with my jacket.

Alice took advantage of my momentary lapse to drag me out to dance, which I'd normally avoid. When Jasper joined her after a few songs I was about to walk away and try to find my stuff, until I saw Edward leaving the kitchen to head in our direction. I turned around, threw my head back and chugged the rest of my beer. I finished the last drop, and was just about to find somewhere to dispose of it when I felt a hand snake around my waist to press lightly on my stomach. I knew that hand from the small amount of contact we'd had in the kitchen. Edward pulled my back to his chest, and grabbed the bottle with his free hand. I never saw where it ended up, but he got rid of it somehow because that hand soon took up residence on my hip. He started moving us to the rhythm of the song, and I let him, not wanting to reveal just how klutzy of a dancer I really was. I glanced over at Alice whose eyes were bugging out of her head in shock.

I was not in my element. I was sure Edward could tell how stiff I was. I had no idea what to do with my hands, or whether or not I should move my feet. I had never danced this close to a guy before. When I did dance, which was almost never, I always opted for the slow variety. I was able to keep a safe distance from my partner and the slower speed made it less likely that I would fall flat on my ass. Although, with Edward's hands on me I was less afraid of falling. This dancing was nothing like the chaste experiences I'd had before. Dancing like this was giving me the feeling that only my dirty romance novels had been capable of producing previously.

With the hand that was still pressed against my abdomen, he pulled me back completely flush against him. I closed my eyes at the feeling of his hard body against mine. I opened them back up immediately knowing what happens when I move with them closed. The first song ended, and when the second began, Edward's hands started moving. I melted further into his body as his fingers slowly ghosted up my arms and back down again to my hips. When the second song ended I knew I wasn't nearly drunk enough to continue down this road. Thankfully, Alice grabbed my hand and pulled me into the kitchen. I felt the loss of Edward's body behind mine immediately. I grabbed the first thing I saw (a jell-o shot) and threw it down the gullet.

"Holy shit, Bella!" she exclaimed. "Who are you, and what have you done with my best friend?" She grabbed two more shots, and handed one to me. I took both. "Whoa, Bella, slow down," she tried to warn me.

"If I slow down, Alice, I'll wind up in a corner with my book. Edward's hot, and apparently he thinks I am too." I stole a solo cup from some guy's hand and drained it before walking back to the dancing, leaving Alice to follow stunned in my wake.

I was a woman on a mission. I didn't know why Edward had decided to focus his attentions on me, but I wasn't about to pass up this chance; a chance I'd never gotten before. He smiled when he saw me, and we picked up right where we had left off. We never spoke, but instead let our bodies do the communicating.

He turned me around after a few more songs, and I finally got to experience my first make out session. I had been kissed before, but I was fifteen and Jacob had just turned fourteen. I had known Jacob since we were kids; it was like kissing my brother. It felt nothing like what Edward's mouth felt like under my own lips. Edward was soft, but still firm in pressing back against me. His breath was surprisingly cool. It made me think of those Dentyne Ice commercials. I was silently thanking a brand of gum when his tongue made an appearance sliding smoothly in between my lips and starting a dance of its own with mine. One of Edward's hands moved down to grip my ass, pulling my hips flush against his own. His other hand found its place in my hair. I couldn't breathe. Soon I was going to start hyperventilating and pass out. They'd have to call an ambulance, and Alice would be equal parts pissed about her ruined evening and concerned for my well-being.

Suddenly Edward pulled his head back, and stared at me with burning eyes. When he looked at me like that, I felt like a heroine in all the stories I had read. I felt desired and powerful. And I wanted him bad.

Wordlessly, he turned around, grabbed my hand, and pulled me away from the dancing crowd. I took the respite from kissing to try and get my breathing under control, but as we walked upstairs and neared bedroom doors I began panting again. My brain was screaming at me to stop, drop, and roll on back down the stairs, but the lower half of my body, where the fire had originated, was deaf to its feeble pleas.

Edward opened the second door we came to, and turned around to lock it when we were both inside. He began backing up towards the bed, pulling me with him. He stopped when his legs hit the edge, and I pushed my body up against him wanting to continue what we had started downstairs.

His mouth was only on mine for a moment before he moved down to my neck. I turned my head to the side, silently begging for more. The sensation he was creating with his tongue, and occasionally his teeth, was slowly sending me into a frenzy. I slid my hands down his perfectly muscled back to grab his ass and pull him to me, so I could feel exactly what I was doing to him. I knew how he was making me feel, and I ached to press myself against whatever was happening inside his jeans. He groaned when we made contact, and turned us around so he could lay me down onto the bed.

I reveled in the pressure of his weight on top of me. His hands began to roam over my thighs, my hips, and my ribcage. I arched my back when he grazed the side of my breasts, and silently cursed the layers of fabric separating our skin from making contact. I wanted to pull my shirt off, but actually held myself back, not wanting to freak him out.

He left my mouth again and I felt his breath across my cheek and all the way down my neck to my collarbone. His mouth wasn't cool anymore, but hot and steamy. We still hadn't spoken at all, our combined breathing and the muffled music from downstairs being the soundtrack to our snog fest.

I could've stayed like that forever. Hands roaming and grasping; mouths licking and sucking. But I was starting to get uncomfortable. My face was hot, and sweat was building on my back. I tried to convince myself that it was the heat of the moment making me feel this way. However, when my stomach started to churn, I cursed myself for not eating dinner before going to the party. I tried to still my movements some, hoping the nausea would fade if I didn't agitate myself further, but just then Edward's hands were making the rounds to my ribs again, and this time he snuck under my clothes. I gasped when he grabbed a breast, and pinched a nipple. My hips involuntarily squirmed sending another wave of sickness. This time I heaved slightly, and Edward pulled back and put his hands on the bed on either side of me, looking at me with a confused expression.

I forced myself to be still, which was much easier without Edward on top of me, but the damage was done. I thought I was just going to gag again, but underestimated and only had enough time to roll over before vomit was pouring out of my mouth and onto Edward's pillow.

I covered my mouth after the first round, and looked up frantically at Edward. He pointed to a door to the left, hopefully understanding my need for a bathroom. Thankfully that's exactly what I found when I busted through, and dropped to my knees before round two landed in the toilet. I had enough time before round three to thank men all over for always leaving the seat up. Otherwise, there would've been vomit on the floor.

After what seemed like hours of retching into the toilet, I laid my face down on the cold tiles for relief and knew no more of what had started out as one of the best nights of my life.

I woke up early the next morning still lying on the floor of the bathroom. There was a glass of water in front of my face and a small cup with two aspirin. My head protested when I pushed myself up too quickly, and I wanted so badly to lie back down, but I knew I had to get out of there lickety split to avoid having to come face to face with anyone.

I swallowed the pills, and finished off the water before rising to my feet, slowly this time. I refrained from looking in the mirror, knowing it would be horrendous. I tiptoed through the door, and glanced at the bed. Edward was on his stomach still fast asleep. I silently thanked whatever force of nature had managed to pull this one off for me, and crept out of his room. It was early enough that the rest of the house, and most of the campus was blind to my humiliating walk of shame back to my dorm.

I avoided parties like the plague after that, which Alice didn't mind because she now had her boyfriend, Jasper, to hang out with at such soirees. And she also owed me big time for leaving to me to sleep on a bathroom floor.

Edward never tried to contact me, and I had a hard time trying to decide if I was more disappointed or grateful. I certainly didn't plan to reach out to him, so I was left using him and that night as fuel for my fantasy fires.

I snap back to the present, and I realize Alice has been speaking the whole time, ticking off on her fingers reasons that I should go.

"Fine, Alice!" I interrupt.

"Really?" she squeals, and throws her arms around me when I nod my head. "I'm so excited! I want you and Jasper to get to know each other better," she says, rather sheepishly, and then she actually looks down to the ground. I can tell that she's hiding something. She's playing coy, just hoping I'll ask her why she's so adamant about Jasper and I becoming closer.

"Alright, I'll bite. What's going on?" I ask. Her eyes snap back to mine, and I swear they're actually sparkling.

"We're engaged, Bella!" she squeals again, and I stumble backward with the force of her next hug.

"That's great, Alice," I say feeling slightly stunned. I shouldn't be surprised; they've been dating for over three years now. It's not like I expected Alice and I to live together forever. I just wasn't imagining that I'd have to look for a new roommate so soon. Alice takes over the conversation again; words like bridesmaid, flowers, and cake assaulting me. I smile and try to sound enthusiastic about the impending nuptials, but inside I'm a mess. I want to be happy for Alice, but I'm slightly angry at Jasper for stealing her away from me, and yes, I'll admit I'm even jealous of her; of both of them.

Since graduating college I've been on only a handful of dates, and no relationship like Alice and Jasper's has been the result. I did manage to finally have sex after the second date I'd been on with a guy I'd met at the park. James had been so sweet when he came up to me while I was reading. Both our dates were tolerable, but the sex was not. I hadn't planned on taking it that far because a quickie after the second date was not how I had planned to lose my virginity. It must not have been too great for him either, because he never called me back.

"Oh, crap, is that the time? I've gotta go back to work," Alice says, and kisses me on the cheek before dashing out the door. "Love ya! Bye," she shouts. I finish my coffee and head out the same door, back to the world of fact checking.

One week later finds me heading home from work early. Jasper's picking Alice and me up at three to head out to the campsite. I walk through the door and shake my head at the three suitcases Alice has waiting to be loaded. I go to my room and throw a couple more books into the large duffle bag I have for my sleeping bag, clothes, and toiletries. I throw it and my tent next to Alice's stuff, and go change into khaki shorts and a t-shirt. I go to our tiny kitchen, and start eating an apple when Alice comes out of her room.

"Oh, good you're here. I didn't hear you come in. Jasper called to say he's on his way," she says before disappearing into her room again.

I'm just finishing my apple when there's a knock on the door.

"Jasper's here, Alice," I shout and go to let Jasper in. "Hey Jasper," I say and step aside to let him in.

"Hey, Bella. Is this everything?" he asks, gesturing to the bags on the floor.

"Yeah." I bend down to grab my stuff, and follow Jasper out to the car while he juggles Alice's cases. I freeze when we exit the building, and I see Edward standing at the back of the Jeep waiting to load our stuff. I walk the rest of the way stiffly, mumble a 'hello', and throw my stuff on the ground before fleeing the scene.

"Alice!" I hiss when I walk back inside. She comes out of her room her eyes wide. "I thought you said Edward wasn't coming?" I whisper, even though we're two floors up.

"Well, when I said that, I didn't really know for sure. But Jasper hadn't mentioned that he was coming originally." She grabs her purse and heads out of the door. "Besides, you can't keep avoiding him all the time," Alice tells me.

"I don't avoid him. I would just prefer not to be in close proximity to him for an entire weekend," I explain to her retreating form, and then turn around to lock the door.

It was true. Over the past three years it was impossible to avoid Edward since his best friend was dating my best friend. But I usually kept our conversations short and sweet on the rare occasions they happened, and my nose in a book all the other times.

We all climb in the car, and I'm not happy to be forced into the back seat with Edward, sex hair, Cullen. Alice starts messing with her iPod, putting some music on, and I bury my face in my book.

It takes us an hour to get to the lake we're camping by, and I've only turned the page twice. The entire ride I couldn't concentrate on the words in front of me when _he_ was sitting less than two feet from me.

We drive off road for a few minutes, and stop at a campsite at the edge of the water. I step out, stretch and admire the scenery. It's gorgeous of course. The weather is supposed to be perfect this weekend. I take a few deep breaths of the clean air, and grab my stuff. I elude Edward's gaze, keeping my eyes on my bags, and go find a spot to set up the tent. It looks like Rosalie and her boyfriend, Emmett, arrived some time ago. There's a tent already set up, and a cooler sitting next the picnic table. Alice is busy explaining to Jasper her need for the three suitcases she's brought, so I pull out the tent and poles to get started.

I don't go camping often anymore, but I'm still a pro at setting up a tent. Having grown up in the Pacific Northwest, my Dad had taken me camping hundreds of times over the years. I get the last piece in place, and throw in my duffle bag, when Edward walks over to hand me a beer from the cooler.

"Um…thanks," I say, taking a sip. Just then Rosalie and Emmett bust through the trees laughing with wood in their arms.

"Hey, guys," Rosalie says smiling. I'm struck at how many of her teeth I can see. It's not that I've never seen Jasper's twin smile, but she's usually much more reserved. I can see the reason for the change behind her. Emmett walks out from the cover of the shade with a smile just as big. The rest of them all greet each other pleasantly, knowing one another. Rosalie and Emmett walk up to me.

"Hey, Bella," she starts. "This is my boyfriend, Emmett," she says, and he reaches out to shake my hand. I extend my hand and he grasps it tightly.

"How's it going?" he asks.

"Good."

"There's another cooler in my truck with food if you get hungry," he says gesturing to the big black monstrosity parked next to Jasper's Jeep.

"Thanks," I reply, and step into the tent as they walk away. Alice joins me as I'm rolling out my sleeping bag. She doesn't have her bags with her, and she's not setting up a place to sleep like me. I can see her squirming waiting for me to finish.

"What is it, Alice?" I ask with a sigh, and stand back up.

"Would you hate me forever if I slept in Jasper's tent?" she asks, giving me her notorious puppy dog eyes.

"No, that's fine," I concede reluctantly. I hate feeling like I'm losing my friend to a guy, especially when I don't get to follow in her footsteps.

"You're the best, Bella," she says excitedly, and literally bounds out of the tent. "She's fine with it," she says to who I think is Jasper, but then Edward suddenly steps through the door flap with his bags causing me to stumble over my own feet and fall to the ground.

"Shit, I'm sorry. Did I knock you over?" he asks reaching down to help me up.

"No, no. That's just me," I reply, and extricate myself from him as quickly as possible without falling over again.

"I always forget how clumsy you are," he chuckles.

"Oh, yes, that's me: Bumbling Bella," I exclaim, my voice dripping with sarcasm. I don't wait for a reply but storm out of the tent in search of Alice. When I find her I grab her elbow and drag her over to the water.

"No way, Alice! I am not sharing a tent with him," I angry whisper. She actually has the decency to look guilty.

"I'm sorry, Bella. I didn't know Jasper and Edward had planned to share a tent," she tries to explain. "It's really rather stupid of him with the engagement and all. I was just telling him off before coming to talk to you about it."

"But you didn't 'talk' to me about it. I figured I'd just be sleeping alone."

"I'm sorry, Bella. I'll just tell Edward to sleep with Jasper," she says dejectedly, and starts walking off.

"Stop." I'm such a pushover when it comes to Alice. "It's fine. Well, it's not 'fine' but I'll get over it."

"Oh, Bella, I owe you big time!"

"At this rate, Alice, you'll have to give me your firstborn as repayment."

We spend the rest of the evening starting a fire and fixing food. Alice, Jasper and Emmett keep the conversation flowing smoothly with the occasional interjection from Rosalie, Edward and myself. There's a moment of chaos involving melted marshmallow when we start doing s'mores, and Emmett winds up in the lake to clean up.

After that debacle we stop adding logs to the fire to start letting it die down. Alice and Jasper disappear first, carrying a lantern to their tent, followed by Rosalie and Emmett after a few minutes. When the couple is zipped up inside Edward stands to dump some dirt on the remaining embers and stamps them out with an extra log.

"Would like to change first?" he asks nodding his head in the direction of our tent.

"Sure, thanks," I reply, and dash inside. I strip down quickly, acutely aware of the fact that I'm in only a bra and panties with Edward standing right outside, waiting for me to be finished. When I'm done I step out to trade places. I see his eyes flicker down to my bare legs; my sleeping shorts end much higher up on my thighs than the khakis I'd been previously wearing. His gaze runs up my body causing me to flush.

"Are you cold?" he asks, noticing my sweatshirt.

"Um…I get cold at night," I stammer, struck dumb momentarily by his stare. He nods his head, and disappears inside. I briefly wonder what he would do if I barged in right now while he's in the middle of changing. Would we finish what we had started three years ago? I'll never know, because just as I start to fantasize Edward calls out that he's done. I slip inside, and blush again when I glance over to see him sitting in his sleeping bag bare-chested.

"I guess you don't get cold?"

"No," he says, and laughs quietly. "Quite the opposite actually. Goodnight, Bella," he says before turning out the lantern, and lying down on his side.

"G'night," I mumble. I reposition myself a little bit further away from him, which is hard to do in the small two-person tent. I soon find, however, that I'm not a bit tired, so I fish in my bag for my book and book light.

"What're you reading?" I hear Edward ask me after a few minutes.

"Um…it's a biography about Anne Boleyn. She was one of Henry VIII's wives," I explain.

"I know," he says. "Tell me, do you believe the good or bad stories about her?"

For a moment I'm a little surprised at the amount of knowledge he's just shown. "Well, since the Catholics, her main enemies, are the largest source of any negative press I tend to disagree with them. But really it doesn't matter to me either way. I still find her interesting."

"Interesting how?"

"She was well read and knowledgeable about subjects that usually only men were in that time. She was also bold and outgoing, something I'm not. I guess I'm a little envious of people like that," I say thinking of Alice too.

"You're outgoing sometimes," he says in a deep and quiet voice. I make a most unbecoming snorting sound in response.

"Not often," I say before faking a yawn, switching off my book light, and turning on my side away from him. "Goodnight, Edward."

"'Night, Bella," he says in that deep rumble again. It sends shivers down my spine, and I can feel his eyes on my back. I'm still not very tired, but I don't dare turn back around, or try to read while he's awake.

I roll over after what seems like only a couple hours, but I can see too clearly for it to be night still. Edward is lying closer to me than he was the night before, and I cheer silently that I slept on the zipper side of the door so I don't have to lean over his legs to open it. I grab my small toiletry bag, and open the smallest hole to squeeze through. I grab a bottle of water to brush my teeth with, and head off into the trees to do my routine.

When I walk back to camp, Edward's up and dressed grabbing the food cooler out of the back of Emmett's truck. I take the moment to go change in the tent, putting my khakis back on and a button up with the sleeves rolled to my elbow. I want to do some hiking before it gets too hot, and I have to do everything I can to protect my devastatingly pale skin from burning. I walk out rubbing sunscreen on my face and any exposed skin. I opt for a quick and easy breakfast just grabbing a granola bar and a small bottle of chocolate milk.

"What're you up to?" he asks me.

"I was…uh, going to take a walk."

"Do you mind if I join you?"

I pause for a moment because I really do mind. It's bad enough that I have to see him every time I hang out with Alice and Jasper, but add to that sharing a tent all weekend and I really don't want to increase my chances of embarrassing myself again. I do feel bad about potentially leaving him here by himself while the two couples sleep in, so I relent.

"No, that's fine. As long as you can keep up," I warn him. Jake used to force me to go hiking with him all the time. And even though I can't go hiking in the city I still walk or jog at least three miles every morning.

"I'm sure I'll be fine," he reassures me. He certainly looks fine. He's wearing a slightly tight but not too tight green t-shirt and gray cargo shorts. His socks don't show above his sneakers, and I never realized before how sexy a man's ankles could look. The sound of Edward closing the cooler pulls me away from ogling his legs.

"I've got a back pack for those," I tell him when I see he's got two bottles of water in his hands. I throw my sunscreen, the water, and a couple packages of trail mix into the bag, and slip my pocket knife into my pocket.

Edward raises his eyebrows when he sees it. "Do you normally carry a knife around with you?"

"A girl's gotta protect herself," I tell him. "Plus, you never know what you'll run into in the woods." I start walking towards the trail Emmett and Rosalie had taken to gather firewood.

"I take it you've done this before," he asks me once he's caught up.

"I grew up in Washington. My dad used to take me camping and fishing more often than I would have wished back then. I appreciate it a lot more now than I used to."

"Did you ever catch anything?"

"Of course," I scoff.

"Well, what's the biggest fish you've ever caught?"

"I once pulled in a 12 pound salmon when we went on a fishing trip on the Columbia River," I boast. I try to resist, but I can't help myself so I sneak a peek and I'm pleased to see a look of shock on Edward's face.

"Wow. You never cease to amaze me."

"Yeah, well it's been a long time since I've done any fishing. I doubt I'd be able to catch anything remotely that big now."

We continue walking continuing on the path most of the time. We stay silent except for a few comments here and there. I stop short when I glance over my shoulder and don't see Edward there. I turn around, and panic for a moment when I don't see him anywhere on the trail. I retrace my steps searching the trees on both sides, and I spot him moving through the forest towards what looks like a clearing further in.

"Edward, where are you going?" I call out, and start following him. He keeps walking and doesn't answer. I lose sight of him just before I break through the trees in a beautiful meadow filled with swaying grass and wild flowers. It's still morning so the sun isn't directly overhead yet. It's just peeking through the few clouds in the sky and spilling perfectly into the empty space. I'm expecting deer, chipmunks, birds, and all manner of woodland creatures to saunter out of the trees on the other side of the clearing.

I've been so wrapped up in the fairytale fantasy that I've completely forgotten that I lost track of Edward.

"Edward?" I call out, and start walking around the perimeter. I'm getting a little tired of our game of hide and seek, and about half way around I stop looking and turn towards to center. "I'm gonna head back towards the trail, Edward," I tell the air. But before I start walking back his hand grabs my wrist and pulls me back into the shade of the trees. He moves to stand in front of me, and puts both hands on my hips pushing me back until I make contact with a tree behind me.

My mouth moves frantically trying to say something, but my brain has halted all activity at the look in his eyes. It freaks me out and turns me on all at the same time. Edward leans in, and I think he's about to kiss me. Something I've fantasized about for three years. Instead he starts at my neck running his nose and lips up to my jaw. He moves slowly around to my lips, and I fall to pieces when his lips finally make contact with mine. He pushes me further into the tree and his hands run up my sides. One moves all the way to my hair, and pulls the band out that was holding it back in a ponytail. His other hand stopped at my ribcage, and his fingers are currently inching closer to my breasts. I moan when the tips of his fingers brush lightly over my nipple.

My hands have been stuck to my sides this whole time, but I finally raise them up to hook my fingers in Edward's belt loops and pull him impossibly closer to me. At the same time I push my tongue out hesitantly to test the waters. Edward responds with his own tongue swirling it around mine. I move one hand around to grab his ass and wrap the opposite leg around his. He pulls back slightly and chuckles.

"See? You're outgoing sometimes," he says with a smirk playing across his perfectly full lips. I want to feel them back on my own, and on other parts of body as well. But instead I push him away angry.

"Ugh!" I growl out, and start walking through the trees back toward the trail. I feel like such an idiot all over again. Here I was thinking Edward wanted me as much as I wanted him, and all he really wanted was to laugh at me again. He and his friends probably made fun of me for weeks after I threw up on him. And now I probably gave him at least another month of comedic material.

I start back toward the campsite with the intention of fuming the entire way. But Edward and I had been walking for half an hour, so by the time I make it through the trees I've cooled off considerably.

"Hey, Bella!" Alice calls to me. "We're gonna go swimming. Whoa, what's up?" she asks finally getting a good look at me. I walk over to her and pull her along into my tent.

"Edward kissed me," I state and start to change into my swimsuit.

"What?" she exclaims in disbelief. "Did you kiss him back?"

"Yes," I tell her, my voice dripping with disdain.

"What? Was it bad?"

"He laughed at me," I spit out in between my clenched teeth.

"That doesn't seem like Edward," Alice says and bites her bottom lip.

"Oh, sure take his side. I'm sure you wouldn't want Jasper to get upset with you because his friend is a douche."

"Bella…" Alice pleads. "I just mean that maybe there was some misunderstanding. Please don't be mad at me."

"I'm not mad at you," I relent. I finish pulling on my suit and wrap a cover up around my waist. "I'm mostly mad at myself for getting my hopes up. Come on, let's go swimming," I say and step out of the tent.

Rosalie, Emmett and Jasper are all dressed already and have started to walk out on the dock to get to the deeper, less muddy water. Just then I see Edward clear the trees and walk towards our tent looking down at his feet the entire time. I ignore him as best I can and join the others. Emmett's the first in regaling us with a spectacular cannonball. I shock everyone by jumping in next, grateful to get the sweat that built up during the hike off of my skin. I stay under the water for as long as I can, and when I come back to the surface I have to fight to keep from looking over at Edward who's come out of the tent in just a pair of navy swim trunks. Obviously I lose the battle, and my eyes go wide as I start counting his abs. He dives in, and I snap out my momentary trance.

The next half hour flies by. Rosalie complains about being splashed by Emmett, Alice keeps smacking Jasper's hands away giggling, and then they hold each other close whispering. It's so disgustingly cute, and it makes me want to punch them. I avoid Edward like the plague, swimming laps, and trying to sneak up on Emmett who dunked me earlier. We all get out after another thirty minutes to eat some lunch.

After we eat, Alice and Rosalie spread towels out near the water to soak up some sun. I rub in some more sunscreen before joining them. We talk about girl stuff for a few minutes, and Rosalie describes the apartments she and Emmett have been looking at getting together. I'm struck again at how much more laid back she is. I'm liking this Rosalie much better than I used to. Finally Alice sits up abruptly.

"I can't take it, Jasper. I'm telling her," she yells. Jasper sighs, but doesn't protest. "Go ahead and tell them too," she says gesturing to Edward and Emmett.

I have a feeling I know what she's going to say, so I stay silent while Rosalie looks on in confusion. Alice turns back to meet her gaze.

"Jasper and I are engaged," she tells her. At first I think she's going to be pissed that it's not her, but she surprises me again, her face breaking into a huge grin. She congratulates both of them, and we can hear the guys saying much of the same to Jasper. We spend the next few minutes talking about the wedding Alice has already started planning, until Jasper comes over to pull Alice to her feet and drag her back out into water. Emmett and Rosalie join them, but I hesitate this time. The talk of apartments and weddings has bummed me out, and I need to escape in a good book.

"Come on, Bella," Alice calls to me from the water.

"I think I'm gonna for another walk," I tell her. "I found a cute little meadow earlier." I don't elaborate as to what happened in said meadow, but slip on some shoes, grab my towel and book before heading towards the trail. Edward stops me suddenly with a hand on my forearm.

"I'm sorry about earlier, Bella," he starts, and his eyes travel over my body that's still clad in only a bikini and cover up wrapped around my waist. I cut him off and gently pull my arm from his grasp.

"Don't worry about it," I tell him in a slightly scathing tone. I trudge on down the trail, and relax slightly when he doesn't follow me.

I don't know why I get so flustered around him all the time. It probably has something to do with the fact that every time I see his hands I imagine them roaming over my entire body. And that whenever I see his lips I think about all the different places I'd like to feel their soft fullness. But it's still something more than that. That night we first met was thrilling, and my body had never responded to anyone like that before or since then. He was someone I just couldn't get out of my mind, and we hadn't even had sex. Over the past few years we've been companionable whenever Alice and Jasper forced us together, but there's always tension thick enough to slice through between the two of us.

I find the meadow again easily, and spread out my towel in a lightly shaded area. The sun is hotter now than it had been this morning, and after the walk here part of me is regretting forgoing swimming again. I kick off my shoes before lying down on my stomach and start flipping my book open to where I left off last night. I manage to get caught up in the court intrigue, and I almost don't hear the unmistakable sound of twigs snapping. I look up quickly, and realize stupidly that I've come all the way out here without my pocketknife or my phone. My dad would be pissed.

I listen for a few minutes, straining my ears to catch any other noises, but I don't hear anything out of the ordinary so I allow myself to be transported back to England. I lose myself again in the book for another fifteen minutes or so, until I gasp at the feeling of hands sliding up my calves to the back of my knees and under my wrap up to my thighs.

I know those hands. As much as I want to smack them away and walk back towards camp, I want even more for him to continue. I don't want to be interrupted by vomit or my own sensitive personality. I want Edward in every way possible.

He continues to slide his hands up and down my legs occasionally reaching as high as my rear end. He pulls one hand out and tugs on the loose knot that was holding my cover up together. His knees come to rest on either side of my hips, and his hands continue on the path up my back, to my shoulders and down my biceps. My book has been pushed away and forgotten. He massages my back, neck and shoulders before running his fingers through my slightly damp hair. He pulls them out gently and stops again at my neck untying the straps holding my bikini's halter top up. His fingertips brush lightly down my back to untie the fastening across my back next. I'm still propped up on my elbows giving Edward perfect access to my chest. He reaches around and grabs two handfuls of my breasts before teasing my nipples with light caresses. He leans forward and presses his lips to my neck, and the contact sends shivers down my spine even with the heat of the sun and his bare chest on my back. He lathers my neck with kisses moving to the other side and up to suck my earlobe in between his teeth, and nibble lightly.

He sits back up suddenly and I can feel his fingers pulling the strings of my bikini bottoms. He pushes up onto his knees completely allowing me lift my hips so the fabric can be pulled out from under me. I start to throb down below when I feel his hands on my hips mere inches from my now wet center. He leans forward again to kiss along my shoulders and his fingers stay firmly pressed into my hips. I'm loving the feel of his chest on my back, but his swim suit is starting to irritate me. I want to be able feel his skin on mine from head to toe.

I push my hips up into his and try to pull my knees up under me, but he sits back forcing me down again. He scoots back and uses one of his knees to push apart my legs. His fingertips dance along the inside of my thighs and reach around to push through my folds and press firmly against my clit. He starts to stroke back and forth causing my hips to squirm. When he inserts a finger I try to pull my knees up under me again, but his hand on my ass pushes back down while he joins another finger to the first. His fingers thrust in and out in slow motion taking the time to explore my constantly wet walls. My breath has started to come in short, heavy pants, and I gasp when he abruptly drags his hand out of me to tug at my right hip with his wet fingers and roll me onto my back. His eyes travel up and down my body, lying naked before him. He stands long enough to pull something from his pocket and push his trunks down to step out of them. If I thought seeing his bare chest was shocking, getting a full view of his muscled thighs and hard cock takes my breath away.

He kneels down with one knee in between my legs and the other on the outside. He runs his hands from my knees, up my thighs, across my abdomen and to my breasts. I swear I could live and die by those hands. He leans forward and props himself up on one elbow leaving his other hand free to trace the lines of my face and trail down my neck. He finally touches his lips to mine, ever so lightly. I respond by lifting my head off the ground to press back against him. He lowers his body so that we're finally skin to skin, and his tongue picks up where it left off this morning.

Edward pulls his head back after a few minutes, and his eyes are the color of the forest all around us. He's not laughing this time, and his eyes are full of a hunger I've been feeling for three long years. He puts both knees in between my legs and pushes them open further. He takes his free hand away from the nipple he was fondling to grasp himself and rub the tip of his dick against my needy clit. I moan when I feel the moisture on his head signaling that he's just as ready and willing as I am.

He takes a moment to slide a condom on and then positions himself right at my entrance, staring into my eyes as he slowly fills me inch by inch. He exhales loudly when he's fully inside, and then his mouth crashes onto mine at a much faster pace than previously. His pelvis takes the opposite road and he pulls out and drives back in at a maddeningly slow rate. I learn his rhythm quickly and start to push my hips up to meet his. Our mouths are frantic, but down below we're patient as hell wanting to savor every second and every point of contact.

We've not yet spoken a word to each other deciding instead to let our bodies communicate the need we feel for one another. Because I can see it now in Edward's eyes and feel it in the way he grips my hips when he finally raises up to his knees and thrusts himself into me as deep as humanly possible. I know now that I'm not alone in this and that all the looks he's given me, and the comments he's made over the past three years have been leading to this point. Leading us to the moment when he finally takes me the way he should have so long ago. Although, I can't help but think that this is a much better way to come together than drunk in his bedroom at a frat party. And we certainly do come together. Pun fully intended.

Edward continues driving into me, going faster and deeper with each consecutive thrust. My back arches when he moves one hand in between us and uses his fingers to play my clit like a baby grand. It takes effort now to keep my eyes focused on his as I feel my orgasm slowing building. But I don't dare look away or shut my eyes not wanting to lose the silent exchange we've started.

I feel like I'm about to come for the longest time. Between Edward filling my pussy so completely and his hands pinching my nipples and stroking my clit I feel like I'm constantly on the verge of exploding. It's like trying to ease into a lake or pool too slowly. I get into to my waist and I'm about to go in the rest of the way, but oh no, it's too cold so I retreat back a couple feet. It's only when Edward begins to come undone that my body finally says 'fuck it' and dives in head first.

"Fuck! Bella!" He shouts and I can feel him start to throb inside me. My own body erupts around him in what is the most intense orgasm I've had in my life whether self produced or with a companion. My eyes finally close involuntarily as wave upon wave of warm pleasure rolls through my body starting in my abdomen and reaching as far down as my toes and as high up as my hairline. I can feel Edward still pulsing as I contract around him pulling every last bit from him and riding my orgasm out as long as possible.

He falls forward finally with his elbows on either side of me propping him up. Our eyes meet again as his fingers start playing with the pieces of my hair around my face. His mouth finds mine again as he pulls himself out and moves over to lie next to me. He keeps his body pressed up against mine and lets his fingers trail lightly over my body. I turn to my side and move my hand over him in its own exploration. We lie there for a few more minutes in silence letting our body recuperate.

"Bella," Edward says finally, his voice horse from the heavy breathing. "You have no idea how long I've wanted to do that," he confesses.

"Oh, believe me I do," I admit with a shy smile.

"Why did we take so long to figure this out?" he asks waving a hand between the two of us.

"I don't know, and I don't care," I respond. "But it better not be another three years before it happens again," I warn him.

"Don't worry, baby it won't be another three minutes," he says and rolls onto his back to pull me on top of him. He's hard again already and he reaches toward his shorts for another condom. He rolls it on before I start lowering myself onto him. My recent orgasm has made me even more sensitive and the new position brings me to my climax at a much faster rate than I'm used to.

I don't think about the others back at the campsite and what it'll look like when Edward and I finally make it back there. I don't overanalyze or wonder what the rest of the weekend will bring, except to hope that this will happen again multiple times. (Sharing a tent doesn't seem so bad now.) All I can focus on at the moment are hands that I'll never forget and a set of green eyes staring back into mine as we finally connect in our meadow in the middle of the woods.

* * *

**A/N: Thanks for reading! I'd love to hear what you thought of it; it's my first ever lemon. **


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